Côtes du Rhône Organic Rosé Wines

When Sue came over to do Rosè from Provence paired with fish tacos for this month’s “Summer in Provence” prompt with the Winophiles, I discovered I was fresh out of Rosè from Provence! Instead of making a run for the store, I turned to France’s second oldest wine region, Côtes du Rhône, located just north of Provence, where recentlywineries of the Côtes du Rhône committed to protecting their environment for future generations in the age of climate change. Last year, the Côtes du Rhône pledged:

• To maintain biodiversity– currently the vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône AOC are among the world’s leaders in biodiversity. 
• To achieve at least one-third of the Côtes du Rhône AOC vineyard surface area to have at least one, or more, certifications that are organic or environmentally-driven, such as HVE (High Environmental Value), Terra Vitis, and Vignerons Engagés.
• To preserve their vineyards for future generations as well as the ancestral traditions and know-how that accompany them. 

While Provence is the most recognized rose region in the world, and you can read about several examples below from the winophiles, and the Rhône is famous for reds not rosés, it is the only permitted  wine style in Tavel AOC with more than half produced by coops.

Rhône rosé is made using saignee (which bleeds off some of the juice with little contact and the rest is made into a more concentrated red wine), as well as the brief skin-contact method. But in Tavel, they also follow a tradition where they co-ferment whole clusters of red and white grapes in a tank where the gravity of the grapes gently presses them. The free run juice collects at the bottom where it has a period of brief skin contact with the crushed red skins before being drained. 

Côtes du Rhône rosés come in two distinct styles: a pale, aromatic “fresh rosé” that works well as an aperitif wine, and made to be enjoyed that year and a more deeply hued, more structured “fruity rosé” that stands up to food and can be cellared longer. We enjoyed wines in both styles with our fish tacos.

Côtes du Rhône Organic Rosé Wines with fish tacos

Menu

• Grilled Fish Tacos with cabbage and cilantro
  traditional with tomatoes and a spiced lime cream sauce
  non-traditional with grilled zucchini and apple berry jalapeno salsa (recipe below)
• Whole Pinto Beans with cotija cheese (don’t drain them! cook them down!)
• Mexican style rice with stewed tomatoes and diced vegetables 

Côtes du Rhône Organic Rosé Wines

• Château Pesquié AOC Ventoux Rosé Terrasses
  AB Agriculture Biologique, Biodynamie en conversion
• Château Beaubois AOC Costières de Nîmes Rosé Expression
  AB Agriculture Biologique Certifié par FR-BIO-01 Agriculture France, Demeter, Biodynamie
• Domaine Maby AOC Tavel Rosé PRIMA DONNA
  AB Agriculture Biologique Certifié par FR-BIO-10 Agriculture France, AB Agriculture Biologique en conversion

Two more organic wines from the Rhône to consider (which we did not taste):

• Xavier Vins AOC Côtes du Rhône Rosé: 
  AB Agriculture Biologique Certifié par FR-BIO-01 Agriculture France
• Château Mourgues du Grès AOC Costières de Nîmes Rosé Galets Rosés: 
  AB Agriculture Biologique, Biodynamie

2022 Château Pesquié AOC Ventoux Rosé Terrasses

2022 Château Pesquié AOC Ventoux Rosé Terrasses

ABV: 13%
SRP: $16
Grapes: 50% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Imported by : European Cellars, LLC

At Chateau Pesquile,  Famille Chaudière farms organically: Certified organic by ECOCERT, AB Agriculture Biologique, Biodynamie en conversion. 

Appearance:  Pale pink, rose gold, platinum rim, crystal clear

Aroma: Floral, roses, gardenia, cherry, watermelon, damp earth, quite pleasant, 

Palate: Very tart and acidic, tart cherry, tart raspberry, peach, hint of plum at the front of the palate, silt, very soft tannins, black pepper finish, 

Pairing: With food on the palate, the fruit in the wine comes through and some of the tart acidity is mellowed, it is especially great with the beans, it loves the creamy richness and the cilantro, quite nice with the fish taco with squash and apple plum salsa, great with the cream sauce on the taco loving the cream and the bright acidity of the lime juice, also great with the pop of sweet corn in the rice, 

2022 Chateau Beaubois Cuvee Expression Rosé

2022 Chateau Beaubois Cuvee Expression Rosé 

ABV: 13%
SRP: $17
Grapes: biodynamic 60% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 10% Cinsault
Imported by: Serendipity 

In Costieres de Nimes, René Mouret worked as a country doctor on horse, while wife Margueritte was one of the first women in the region to manage a winery, which they established in 1920. Today they grow certified organic and biodynamic grapes (AB Agriculture Biologique Certifié par FR-BIO-01 Agriculture France, Demeter, Biodynamie)

Appearance:  Pale pink, rose, a bit of copper, 

Aroma: Watermelon rind, minerals, silex, ripe plum, cherry blossom, ripe cherry, 

Palate: Ripe cherry, Meyer lemon, tangerine oil, pineapple, guava, there is an unexpected intensity of flavor, very sipable and enjoyable with or without food. 

Pairing: Great with creama sauced taco, lovely with the beans responding nicely to the creaminess and the flavors of cilantro and Cotija cheese, not so great with the Spanish rice it did not like the stewed tomato flavor, however it was great with the fresh tomatoes on our tacos, it was good with the squash and apple salsa responding nicely with the cinnamon, cardamon, and nutmeg in the salsa. We wanted just blackened salmon topped with the apple salsa

2022 Domaine Maby AOC Tavel Rosé Prima Donna

2022 Domaine Maby AOC Tavel Rosé Prima Donna 

ABV: 14.5%
SRP: $15
Grapes: organic Grenache and Cinsault
Imported by:

A blend of Grenache and Cinsault grown on pebble terroirs in the Vallée du Rhône near Tavel, the Prima donna is certified organic (AB Agriculture Biologique Certifié par FR-BIO-10 Agriculture France, AB Agriculture Biologique en conversion) thanks to the support of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and the Rhone Mediterranean Corsica Water Agency. The Prima Donna has a 100% recyclable nomacorc closure. Learn more about Domaine Maby.

Appearance:  Raspberry koolaid, pale mauve to platinum rim. 

Aroma: Raspberry, bubble gum, eucalyptus, herbs de Provence, fennel, tart cherry, roses, cranberry, violet, citrus.

Palate: Tart and acidic, tart cherry, tart raspberry, tart cranberry, peppercorn, tart green apple, chalky texture, grasses, cherry phosphate, cinnamon bear on the finish, 

Pairing: The grilled fish on its own is perfect with the wine, the taco with the apple salsa is outstanding with the wine, also very nice with the cream sauce on the taco, the sauce is complex and works together with the tomato, creamy avocado and the savory notes bring out the fruit in the wine. While both tacos worked so nicely with the wine, we both preferred the taco with the apple salsa. The wine also worked very nicely with the beans and the rice, the wine responded well to every element in our meal. It is a wine that you want to clean your plate with. 

fish tacos and rRhone ose

Fore more tacos and wine pairings, check these pork tacos out paired with Argentinean wines.

Want wines from Provence, Rosè or otherwise?? Check out these articles from my fellow winophiles:

• “Wishing I were spending Summer in Provence with a Roche Bellemont Rose” on A Day in the Life on the Farm
• “Summertime Lobster Roll and a Provence Rosè” on Our Good Life
• “Summertime and the Living is Easy. Especially in Provençe” on Side Hustle Wino
• More than Rosé: Pairing a Provençal Red with a Smoked Paprika-Rubbed Pork Chop on Culinary Cam
• “A Taste of Provence: Food and Wine Pairings” on Always Ravenous
• “Mourvèdre rules Bandol vineyards during summer in Provence” on My Full Wine Glass

In lieu of a Saturday Twitter chat this month, you’re invited to an Instagram Live with Jill Barth on Friday, 8/18, at 11 am PT/2 pm ET.